Page 273 of The Wishing Game

"I cannot control my abilities, and it's been getting worse and worse recently. Sometimes... I know things. Things I shouldnotknow," she says pointedly.

I stare at her.

She places the letter on the table, silently pushing it toward me.

I glance down at the yellow, almost brownish hue of the paper, my eyes widening in shock when I see my name printed on top of it in cursive letters. The writing is elegant and feminine, the ink almost faded from the passage of time. But the meaning is unmistakable as is the timeline.

Luce. After the Elegian Sphere breaks.

"Where did you get this from?" I swallow uneasily.

"Ironically, I have had it for hundreds of years. My family and I were on a diplomatic trip to Aperionia, the official capital, and I was drawn to an uninhabited area of the palace. It was as if it was calling to me. I found the letter within the palace walls, nestled between bricks. Someone must have hidden it there. I did not intend to take it, but the servants came upon me and thinking I'd done something wrong, I hid it in the pocket of my dress and took it home with me. I haven't spared it a thought since. But after meeting you, I began to wonder, especially after what happened at the temple."

"But...how..." I stammer.

"I do not know how or why. I only know that it belongs to you."

"I don't understand," I whisper.

"Trust me, I don't either." She chuckles. "But it is yours and you shall have it. Now, if you will excuse me. I have to go for one last fitting, but you are welcome to use the conservatory as you'd like. I'll let the staff know not to bother you."

I can only nod, my eyes still glued to the letter.

Wyn gets up, the sound of the chair sliding against the ground echoing in my ears. She steps away, slowly, until a click denotes the closure of the door to the conservatory.

Then I'm all alone.

Just me and this unusual letter.

I gulp, my hands trembling as I pick it up, slowly opening the envelope to reveal the folded sheet inside. Carefully, I pull it out, afraid any sudden movement might damage the paper and consequently the contents inside. I unfold the sheet of paper and start to read the message.

Dear Luce,

You do not know me, but I know you—intimately. In the future, we shall be best friends. In the future, everything will make sense, I promise. But for now, I need you to trust me that I have your best interests at heart—that everything I am about to impart is only meant to help and protect you.

By the time you read this, you should have already broken the Elegian Sphere at the Arche Temple. You may wonder how I know this. I am not quite ready to reveal that, but trust that you will find out eventually. After all, it is your fate. And the fates spare no one.

If you are not yet convinced of my words, there is one more thing that will hopefully change your mind. The ancient writings on your skin.

Do I have your attention now?

I pause, shocked. Writing. Whoever wrote this letterknewthat the marks on my skin are an ancient script. That alone piques my interest. I continue reading.

You must quit The Wishing Game. You must do so before the third trial. By now, you should have already given your consent to continue in the game, but before the third trial starts, you can, at any point, withdraw that consent. It is a small loophole that not too many are aware of, but no one will deny you should you summon a wraith and withdraw.

What the hell? Anger bubbles inside of me. Why is everyone telling me to quit the game? Yet the next sentence catches my attention before I can crumple the piece of paper and throw it aside.

You are probably ready to put the letter down, thinking you could never give up on your husband—that the only way to get him back is to win the game. Unfortunately, that is false. Winning the game will not get Nicholas back. On the contrary, your continuation in the game will jeopardize everything. Nicholas's soul is not with the House of Psyche. That means no god, and no Supreme can return him to you because to them, he does not exist.

But there is one way you can get him back.

He is with you, at every moment, whether you know it or not. But to get back the man you love, you will need to be free of the Game and free of any vow that might lay claim on your soul. I have laid out further instructions for you, which shall find you when the time is right. I cannot emphasize enough that this requires the utmost secrecy. It is why I cannot divulge too much in this letter for fear someone else might intercept it. If anyone else should find out about this, it is not just your fate or that of your husband that hangs in balance, but that of the entire universe. I am being cryptic, I realize. But this is much more important than you realize—than even I realized. But for our loved ones, we must do whatever it takes to keep them safe.

I am aware this is a lot to take in, but as a sign of good faith and to show I can be trusted, I will leave you with this information. The writing on your skin—it is a promise. There is nothing evil about it, nor is it something to be afraid of. It is a vow written in blood, and in a matter of days, that vow will be fulfilled. When that happens, the mark of a new beginning will arise.

This is not the last you shall hear from me, but by the next time, I hope I will have earned your trust.

Yours,

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